Endoscopic translumenal articulatable steerable overtube

Abstract

An apparatus having an elongate hollow metal body extending along a longitudinal axis is disclosed. The hollow body defines a central opening and has a predetermined wall thickness. A pattern of laser cut slits is formed into the body. The slits define a plurality of articulatable elements. The plurality of articulatable elements enable active articulation of the body in a first plane and passive deflection in planes orthogonal to the first plane.

1. An apparatus, comprising:
 an elongate hollow metal body extending along a longitudinal axis, the hollow body defining a central opening and having a predetermined wall thickness, 
 a pattern of laser cut slits formed into the body, the slits defining a plurality of articulatable elements, wherein the plurality of articulatable elements enable active articulation of the body in a first plane and passive deflection in planes orthogonal to the first plane, wherein the pattern of slits comprises: 
 at least one aperture; 
 an S-shaped slit; and 
 a spiral slit; and 
 a plurality of rings disposed along an outer portion of the body along the longitudinal length, the plurality of rings are configured to receive a pull cable therethrough and a distal end of the pull cable is fixedly attached to a distal ring, wherein the pull cable is to articulate the body relative to the longitudinal axis when tension is applied to the pull cable. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the pattern of slits is positioned along the longitudinal axis in a predetermined arrangement. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the spiral slit is positioned between the aperture and the S-shaped slit. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein an arrangement of the spiral slit positioned between the aperture and the S-shaped slit is repeated along the longitudinal axis of the body. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one aperture is about 1 mm wide and each of the at least one apertures are spaced apart by about 4 mm. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the S-shaped slit begins on a first side of the body and wraps around to a second side of the body. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the S-shaped slit comprises:
 a first portion that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; 
 a second portion that forms an angle θ with the longitudinal axis; 
 a third portion that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; 
 a fourth portion that forms an angle θ with the longitudinal axis; and 
 a fifth portion that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. 
 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first portion has a length of about 6 mm; 
 the second portion forms an angle θ between about 100 and about 110 degrees with the longitudinal axis and has a length of about 6 mm; 
 the third portion and has a length of about 10 mm; 
 the fourth portion has a length of about 6 mm; and 
 the fifth portion has a length of about 6 mm. 
 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each revolution of the spiral slit is formed around one revolution of the body, wherein each revolution of the spiral slit has a predetermined overlap with a subsequent revolution of the spiral slit, and wherein each revolution of the spiral slit has a predetermined pitch. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the overlap is about 1.5 mm and the pitch is about 1.25 mm. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the spiral slit is formed as an interrupted spiral cut pattern defined by a pitch “p,” a depth of interruption “x,” and a distance between interruptions “y”. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein: the pitch “p” is about 1.5 mm; the depth of interruption “x” is about 16 mm; and the distance between interruptions “y” is about 1.5 mm. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the spiral slit is formed as a cut pattern defined by a pitch “p.” 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the pitch “p” is about 1.5 mm. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the slits are formed on an outer surface of the body without entirely penetrating the wall thickness. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the wall thickness of the body is in the range of about 0.25 mm to about 1 mm. 
     
     
       17. An apparatus, comprising:
 a steerable tube; 
 a first layer of flexible material disposed on an inner portion of the steerable tube; and 
 a second layer of flexible material disposed on an outer portion of the steerable tube; 
 an elongate hollow metal body extending along a longitudinal axis, the hollow body defining a central opening and having a predetermined wall thickness; 
 a pattern of laser cut slits formed into the body, the slits defining a plurality of articulatable elements, wherein the plurality of articulatable elements enable active articulation of the body in a first plane and passive deflection in planes orthogonal to the first plane; and 
 wherein the pattern of slits comprises:
 an aperture; 
 an S-shaped slit; and 
 a spiral slit; and 
 
 a plurality of rings disposed along an outer portion of the body along the longitudinal length, the plurality of rings are configured to receive a pull cable therethrough and a distal end of the pull cable is fixedly attached to a distal ring, wherein the pull cable is to articulate the body relative to the longitudinal axis when tension is applied to the pull cable. 
 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the pattern of slits is positioned along the longitudinal axis in a predetermined arrangement. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the spiral slit is positioned between the aperture and the S-shaped slit. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein an arrangement of the spiral slit positioned between the aperture and the S-shaped slit is repeated along the longitudinal axis of the body. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the S-shaped slit begins on a first side of the body and wraps around to a second side of the body. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the S-shaped slit comprises:
 a first portion that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; 
 a second portion that forms an angle θ with the longitudinal axis; 
 a third portion that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; 
 a fourth portion that forms an angle θ with the longitudinal axis; and 
 a fifth portion that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. 
 
     
     
       23. The steerable apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the spiral slit makes one revolution around the body with a predetermined overlap and pitch. 
     
     
       24. The steerable apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the spiral slit is formed as an interrupted spiral cut pattern defined by a pitch “p,” a depth of interruption “x,” and a distance between interruptions “y.” 
     
     
       25. The steerable apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the spiral slit is formed as a cut pattern defined by a pitch “p.” 
     
     
       26. The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein a portion of the slits are formed on an outer surface of the body without entirely penetrating the wall thickness. 
     
     
       27. The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the wall thickness of the body is in the range of about 0.25 mm to about 1 mm. 
     
     
       28. An apparatus, comprising:
 an elongate hollow metal body extending along a longitudinal axis, the hollow body defining a central opening and having a predetermined wall thickness; 
 a pattern of laser cut slits formed into the body, the slits defining a plurality of articulatable elements, wherein the plurality of articulatable elements enable active articulation of the body in a first plane and passive deflection in planes orthogonal to the first plane; 
 wherein the pattern of slits comprises:
 an aperture; 
 an S-shaped slit; and 
 a spiral slit; and 
 
 at least one embedded lumen formed in the body extending along the longitudinal axis, the embedded lumen is configured to receive a pull cable therethrough; and 
 a plurality of rings disposed along an outer portion of the body along the longitudinal length, the plurality of rings are configured to receive the pull cable therethrough and a distal end of the pull cable is fixedly attached to a distal ring, wherein the pull cable is to articulate the body relative to the longitudinal axis when tension is applied to the pull cable. 
 
     
     
       29. The apparatus of  claim 28 , comprising:
 a plurality of embedded lumen formed in the body extending along the longitudinal axis, the plurality of embedded lumen is configured to receive a plurality of pull cables therethrough.